Journal wiper



W. M. GEWIN JOURNAL WIPER Filed Sept. 22, 1944 Patented Mar. 21, 1950UNITED STATES PATENTv OFFICE JOURNAL WIPER William M. Gewin, Dupo, Ill.Application September 22, 1944, Serial No. 555,229

This invention relates to a journal wiper, and concerns itself moreparticularly with journal Wipers adaptable for use in the journal boxesof railway rolling stock.

In the construction of railway cars, it is standard practice to extendthe wheel axes into journal boxes in which the ends thereof, shaped inthe form of journals, are enclosed. The journal box forms a housing forthe journal and the bearing plate through which the weight of the car istransmitted to the axle. The lower part of this box provides a well inwhich lubricants are contained and in which waste material is insertedas a wick for carrying 011 from the well to the under surface of thejournal. 'Due to the construction of these boxes, it is impossible tokeep them free from dirt, grit, and other foreign bodies which enterinto the oil and are carried up and in between the journal and itsbearing. The Journals are thus inherently subject to bearing failuresduev to the abrasive effects of such foreign material. They are alsosubject to a condition known to the railroad art as "waste grab," whichis caused by the journal's carrying the waste from thebottom of the boxup to and in between the journal surfaces and the bearing. In thisrestricted position, the oil is soon worn from the waste, and the latterforms a hard carbon-like deposit on the bearing surface which ultimatelyresults in a bearing failure. Both of these conditions prevent properlubrication of the cars Journals, and cause "hot boxes."

It is known that many waste-retaining devices and Journal wipers havebeen proposed to overcome the aforesaid difficulties, but, for the mostpart, they have had limited success due to the fact that theirinstallation is complex and requires some operation upon the journal,waste or the device itself for their mounting. In the present invention,it was found possible to perfeet a wiper which sacrifices none of itsquality performance in preventing grit and waste from reaching thejournal bearing at the expense of being readily mountable. On thecontrary, the location of the blades of this wiper insures adequateprotection for, and the proper lubrication oi, the bearing, and itssimplicity of construction makes it possible to install the same on anystandard Journal by simply opening the journal box lid and slipping thewiper into position on the journal.

Accordingly, it is the principal aim of this invention to provide ajournal wiper which is positive in its action and which may be easilyinstalled on, or removed from, a journal.

8 Claims. (Cl. 30889) It is also an object of the invention to provide ajournal wiper, meeting the foregoing requirements and possessing thoseadvantages, which is of simple design and which is economical toconstruct.

A specific object of the invention is to provide a Journal wiper havinga pair of wiping blades adapted to be inserted into the box to lieagainst opposite sides of the Journal above a horizontal diametertherethrough, and a separate spring cllamping means to hold the bladesresiliently in p ace.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds.

In carrying out the invention in its preferred form, a pair oflongitudinally extending wiper blades is arranged to be pressed againstthe journals surface at points above its horizontal diameter andadjacent to the bearing plate. These blades, which occupy positions onopposite sides of the journal, are held in" place and urged intoengagement with the journal by means of a yieldable member in the formof a U-shaped spring disengageably connected to the blades. Portions ofthis spring are also fashioned into loops or hooks that fit around thelugs of the bearing plate and hold the entire wiper assembly inposition.

A more comprehensive understanding of the invention willbe afforded fromthe following detailed description when considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing, in which like reference numerals have beenused throughout to designate like parts, and in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are a side and end view, respectively, of a wiper bladeemployed in the present invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are a plan and side view, respectively, of the yieldablemember used to hold the wiper blades in place and into engagement with aJournal on which the wiper is mounted;

Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, a plan and side view of a Journal andbearing plate assembly showing the improved wiper mounted thereon;

Fig. '1 is an end view of said journal and bearing plate assembly,partly in section, further illustrating the position and manner ofmounting the wiper; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed view illustrating the disengageable connectionbetween the blades and the yieldable member of the wiper.

As illustrated in Figs. 1-4 of the drawing, the improved wiper consistsof two wiper blades ll, taking the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,and

a-single yieldable member 1 2, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which is employedto hold the blades H in place against the journal as viewed in Fig. 7.The blades H are formed of suitable metal and are suflicient in lengthto extend the full dimension of the journal. They are shaped to presentto the journal surface a bearing edge It and a wiping edge ll. Eachblade is provided with a notch-l5 in which the lips l6 of the member [2are insertable for holding the blades in their respective places withreference to the journal.

The member i2 is formed from a single length of spring steel and takesthe form of a U-shaped spring, as illustrated in Fig. 3. It will benoted, Fig. 4, that this member is bent to form the arms I! and I8 whichsupport the wiper blades II in position. The end section of member I2 isso formed as to pass around the end of the journal. It carries a wearingplate l9 which is centrally located thereon whose function will bediscussed later.

As previously stated, the arms [1 and I8 of the member l2 are bent toform the lips l6, which, in turn, enter into the notches I5 of theblades I I, as illustrated in detail in Fig. 8. The continuations of theend sections of the wire forming the arms I l and 88 are then bentunderneath these arms and extend longitudinally thereof to a pointintermediate their ends and the base of the U. Here they are turnedoutwardly, bent vertically upward, and thence horizontally to form theloops or hooks 2| and 22.

When mounted on a journal and bearing plate assembly, the wiper occupiesa position with respect thereto, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Withparticular reference to Fig. 6, it will be noted that the blade I iextends the length of the journal and occupies a position immediatelyunderneath the lower surface 23 of the bearing plate or brass 24. Theyieldable member l2, which supports the blades Ii, occupies a positionwith respect to these blades which is substantially in a plane commonthereto. Its respective arms ll and i8 engage the blades II at the notchl5, as previously described; and the hook sections 2! and 22 thereofencompass the bearing plate lugs 25 and 25, respectively. This method ofmounting holds the blades II in place and the spring action of themember l2 urges them into contact with the journal 21 in a manner suchthat the respective wiping surfaces 14 of the blades ll prevent any gritor foreign matter from reaching the surface 28 (Fig. 7), common to thejournal 21 and the babbited surface of the bearing plate 24. Thepresence of the blades II also eliminates any possibility of waste beingcarried into this space, and at the same time allows more waste to be incontact with the journal, resulting in better lubrication.

The journal wiper assembly comprehended in the above described andpreferred embodiment is capable of being installed without any operationon the journal, such as jacking up the bearing plate from the journalor-taking the oil and waste out of the box. Here, by the simpleexpediency of opening the journal box lid (not shown), the blades H arepositioned and held with one hand directly underneath the overhangingedges 23 of the bearing plate 2i, and the yieldable member I2 is carriedover the end of the journal in a manner such that the lips it areengaged in the notches l5 of the plates. The yieldable member is pushedrearwardly until the hook sections 2 l-22 clasp the bearing plate lugs25 and 2G and anchors the entire assembly in fixed position. The wear- 4ing plate I9, which is carried on the yieldable member and frictionallyheld in place, is then pressed against the end of the journal 21 toprevent any part of the member l2 from coming in contact with therotating journal where it would be subject to wear.

It is a distinctive feature of this invention that it is constructed soas to be separable into three parts, which makes installation possiblewithout disassembly of the journal parts, and also provides forreplacement individually of worn parts, although certain features ofthis invention are applicable to a unitary wiper device wherein allthree parts are permanently joined.

While it is not intended to limit the invention to the use of anyparticular material or to any specific size or dimension of anycomponent part thereof, it has been found in successfully practicing theinvention that the blades It may be made from 18 gauge sheet brass, andthe spring member i2, from it inch round steel.

As many modifications of the invention are possible without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is to be understood that the description andillustrations herein made are for the purpose of presenting anembodiment of the invention only and are not to be considered in alimiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a journal wiping device, the combination of a pair of wipingblades each being shaped to present a. bearing surface and a wipingsurface to a journal and arranged to extend longitudinally of and inengagement with the opposite sides thereof, and a yieldable means forholding said blades in position and urging the same toward each other,said yieldable means being loosely connected to said blades for instantrelease and comprising a resilient member formed for disposition aboutthe end of a journal and for insertion into an assembled journal box,said resilient member being operatively connectible to said blades afterinsertion of the latter into an assembled journal box.

A journal wiping device, comprising the combination of a pair of membersarranged to extend longitudinally of and in engagement with oppositesides of a journal at a point above its horizontal diameter, springmeans for urging said members toward each other, and into contact withsaid journal, and a member depending from said spring means andengageable with the end of a journal to prevent contact of the springmeans with a journal to avoid wear of the spring means. a

3. A journal wiper comprising, in combination. a pair of wiper bladesadapted to be disposed along opposite sides of a journal below the endsof the bearing plate, said blades being substantially coextensive withthe journal with which it is associated and engageable therewith abovethe horizontal diamete thereof, and a spring means for applying aclamping force to maintain the wiper blades against the journal, saidspring means being generally U-shape and having a bight portion adaptedfor disposition across the 'end of a journal above the lubricant welland aeoopee hook portion for engagement with the usual lug of a journalbrass.

4. A journal wiper comprising, in combination, a pair of wiper bladesadapted to be disposed along opposite sides of a journal substantiallycoextensive therewith and below the ends of the bearing plate, saidblades being engageable with a journal above the horizontal diameterthereof, and a spring means for applying a clamping force to maintainthe wiper blades against a journal, said spring means comprising aunitary generally U-shaped spring Wire member having a bight portionadapted to extend across the end of a journal and beyond the flangethereof and arms extending from the bight portion, said arms beingadapted to extend around the end flange and along the sides of a journalto approximate midpoints of the wiper blades and being releasablyconnected thereat with the blades, said arms being bent back from beyondsaid connection points toward the bight and then bent upwardly and thenhorizontally to provide supporting hooks to clamp over the usual lugs ona journal brass to hold the device in place.

5. A journal wiper blade comprising an elongated plate having a journalwiping edge, the portion of the plate adjacent said edge being disposedout of the plane of the main portion of the plate, the other edgeportion of the plate being returned towards the wiping edge andcomprising a bearing surface formed to receive the major holding forcewhen the blade is disposed on a journal.

6. A journal wiper blade comprising an elongated plate having a journalwiping edge, the portion of the plate adjacent said edge being disposedout of the plane of the main portion of the plate, the other edgeportion of the plate being returned towards the wiping edge andcomprising a bearing surface formed to receive the major holding forcewhen the blade is disposed on a journal, said plate including acentrally disposed notch for receiving a supporting arm.

7. A journal wiper blade comprising an elongated plate having a journalwiping edge, the other edge portion of the plate being returned towardsthe wiping edge and comprising a bearing surface formed to receive themajor holding force when the blade is disposed on a journal.

8. A journal wiper blade support comprising a U-shaped resilient memberfor urging removable blades into engagement with a journal including apair of arms each including lips for releasable connection with ajournal wiper blade, and a hook-like member forming a part of each armbent to conform with and to grasp a bearing plate lug.

WILLIAM M. GEWIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,058,060 Hyle Apr. 8, 19131,594,301 Heymer July 27, 1926 1,918,379 Campbell July 18, 19331,999,268 Wilson Apr. 30, 1935 2,066,593 Walker Jan. 5, 1937 2,099,106Ewart Nov. 16, 1937 2,125,141 Yancey July 26, 1938 2,357,233 SohaneyAug. 29, 1944

